Survey reveals critical gaps in workplace soft skills among hiring managers, highlighting an urgent need to adapt workforce education for artificial intelligence disruption.
This study examined employer-perceived competency discrepancies, anticipated competency requirements, hiring barriers, and valued educational experiences in Utah. Survey data were collected between September and October 2025 from 226 individuals with hiring responsibility in Utah-based organizations. The Ranked Discrepancy Model (RDM) quantified discrepancies between respondents’ ratings of competency importance and their satisfaction with demonstrated employee proficiency. Respondents reported the largest discrepancies for time management, critical thinking, conflict resolution, ethical judgment, and verbal communication of ideas. Respondents rated communication, collaboration, analytical thinking, and lifelong learning highest among competencies anticipated to matter most over the next five to ten years. Most employers identified AI and machine learning as the most disruptive emerging technology. Our study provides timely evidence to inform organizational recruitment strategies, education administration, and workforce development policies.
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Narine et al. (2026) studied this question.
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